Instant Office

Signing on the dotted line for your company's first office
lease can be daunting. It's hard to tell where your company
will be in six months, much less a year or two. And once you have
the office, the expenses mount--for furniture, office equipment and
staff. If you're unwilling or unable to commit to a lease and
the expenses that accompany a traditional office, a business center
may be for you.

For a lower cost than the average office, business centers (also
called executive suites) offer business owners the use of furnished
office space, equipment and staff on an as-needed basis. "All
the logistics are taken care of," says Richard Meyers,
executive director of ALLIANCE Business Centers NETWORK, a Long
Beach, California, organization for business center owners and
operators.

Business centers offer the use of reception areas and conference
rooms; experienced data entry, graphics presentation and
word-processing staff; and faxing and copying services. The
center's receptionist answers the telephone using your
business's name, and you can use the center as your mailing
address. Lease terms are flexible--whether you need office space
for six hours or six months, most centers can accommodate you.

If you're homebased, business center corporate identity
programs can help you project a professional image. For a monthly
fee, the center will answer your phone, receive your mail at its
address and provide office space for a few hours each month. Says
Meyers, "It's the perfect solution for
start-ups."